Car-coupling.



No. 642,7l9. Patented Feb. 6, I900.

M. H. RICE.

GAR COUPLING.

lication filed June 22, 1899.)

(No Model.)

gm t Jn/eni az NITED STATES MILTON H. RICE, OF CARNFORTH, IOVA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,719, dated February6, 1900.

Application filed June 22, 1899. Serial No. 721,499. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON H. RICE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Garnforth, in the county of Poweshiek, and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Couplers; and Ido hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to car-couplers of the type commonly known as theJanney, and has for its object to improve the construction ofcar-couplers of this type, so as to make itimpossible for the draw-barto fall on the track in case it pulls loose from the car to which it isattached, and thus prevent the wreck and damage that is often caused bysuch an accident.

The nature of the invention will fully appear in the description andclaims following, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich-- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a carcoupler embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of a pair of the same,the plane of the section being a little to the right of the center andlongitudinal to the draw-head shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear view ofthe unlocking-pin and a crosssection of the locking-bar.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A designates an ordinary freight-car, and B theuncoupling-lever forming a part of a rock-shaft, mounted in suitablebearings at the end of the car and having an arm 13 connecting by asuitable chain 0 with the unlocking-pin H in the usual way.

E is a draw-head of the conventional type, but differs from those incommon use by having a flange E in the nature of a bridge extending fromabout the point of the deflecting-arm E to a junction with the other armE to which the knuckle F is pivoted. This bridge spans the arm E of theother drawhead when the two are coupled, and must therefore be enoughhigher than the body of the draw-head to allow for such coupling,notwithstanding differences in the heights of cars and variations inheight according as cars are loaded or empty. The purpose of this bridgeis to catch on the arm of the drawhead under it in case either draw-baris pulled loose from the car, and thus prevent the detached draw-headfrom falling on the track and wrecking the train. This also involves theuse of a special apparatus to prevent the draw-heads from uncoupling,and this device will now be described.

Referring to Fig. 2, F designates the knuckle of the right-handdraw-head and is shown in full outline, a sectional fragment only of theother knuckle F being shown. These knuckles are locked by a locking-barG, which 'is in general use. This is in the nature of a latch, theknuckle automatically coupling by its tail slipping under the inclinedouter end of the locking-bar as it turns inwardly and backwardly. Touncouple, this bar is elevated at the forward end by a pin I-I, having ashoulder at H to engage the under side of the bar, and connecting at theupper end with the arm B by a chain.

My improvement consists in providing a recess H in the side of the pin Hlong enough to allow the locking-bar to rise and fall without disturbingthe position of the pin. It further consists in making the hole for thepin through the draw-head of such a shape that the pin may be drawn backconsiderably at its upper end, providing a lip E at the upper end ofsaid hole on the back side, and forming a notch H in the pin adjacentthereto. This is clearly shown in Fig. 2, the hole E being tapered toallow for the swing of the pin backwardly. Now in case the draw-barpulls loose fromthe car, as often happens, the upper end of the pin H isdrawn back, the notch H engages the lip E and the connecting-chain O isbroken. This of course leaves the draw-heads coupled together, and whileso coupled it is impossible for the broken one to slip down through thejaws of the other, being held by the bridge above described.

It is to be understood that in the foregoing the term draw-bar refers tothe tail portion under the car and the term draw-head to the head orouter portion of the same casting.

To prevent the pin from catching on the draw-head in ordinary use, thelifting-lever B is extended somewhat forward of the vertical center ofthe pin, as shown in Fig. 2, so

that as it lifts it tends to draw thepin away from the lip E instead ofagainst it.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head it having anelevated bridge connecting the deflecting and knuckle arms, alocking-bar adapted to rise and fall and engage the knuckle when incoupled position, a pin mounted to tilt a limited distance in thedraw-head, engaging said locking-bar near the lower end and connectingwith the uncoupling apparatus at the upper end, a notch in the back sideof said pin, and a lip formed in the draw-head, with which said pineugages when the draw-head pulls loose from the car, as described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination with a draw-head of the Janneytype having a raised bridge connecting the deflecting and at the upperend, and a lip formed in the 30 draw-head to engage said notch, and aconnection of the upper end of the pin with the uncoupling-lever,substantially as shown.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MILTON H. RICE.

- Witnesses:

P. J. OoLLUN, O. M. SLAYMAKER.

